De Ketelaere punishes United States with two goals and assist as Belgium reach World Cup quarterfinals

In partnership with

GOAL

·7. Juli 2026

De Ketelaere punishes United States with two goals and assist as Belgium reach World Cup quarterfinals

Belgium delivered their most complete World Cup performance to eliminate the United States 4-1 in Seattle and advance to the quarterfinals. Charles De Ketelaere produced a match-defining display with two goals and an assist, while Matt Freese's costly error in the second half ended any hopes of a home comeback.

The hosts briefly leveled through Malik Tillman's free kick at 31', but Belgium responded within two minutes and never looked back. Hans Vanaken turned an early setback into a decisive contribution after replacing the injured Amadou Onana, scoring and assisting in a comprehensive victory. GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from United States v Belgium.

OneFootball Videos

Follow the latest World Cup News on Goal.com

Winners

Charles De Ketelaere (Belgium)

De Ketelaere delivered the decisive blows that sent Belgium through to the World Cup quarterfinals. His two goals and one assist defined the contest, with the forward positioning himself perfectly in the six-yard box to finish Nicolas Raskin's cross at 9' before rising highest to head in Leandro Trossard's delivery at 33'.

Beyond his clinical finishing, De Ketelaere's relentless pressing created Belgium's third goal. When Matt Freese rushed out of his area in the 57th minute, De Ketelaere won the ball from the stranded goalkeeper and laid off for Hans Vanaken to score from distance. His intelligent movement caused constant problems.

De Ketelaere's performance effectively ended the contest before he was withdrawn at 67'. By that point, Belgium led 3-1 and the United States had no route back into the match. His decisive contributions in both penalty areas demonstrated why he proved the difference in this knockout tie.

Hans Vanaken (Belgium)

Vanaken transformed Belgium's early setback into a match-winning contribution. Introduced at 21' after Amadou Onana departed with a knee injury, the midfielder scored the crucial third goal at 57' and provided the assist for Romelu Lukaku's late fourth to seal the comprehensive victory.

His goal came from intelligent positioning after De Ketelaere forced Freese into an error outside the box. When the ball fell to him, Vanaken struck a right-footed shot into the bottom corner that effectively killed the contest. The United States had no answer to Belgium's 3-1 lead.

In stoppage time, Vanaken's tenacious pressing won possession high up the pitch, allowing him to set up Lukaku for Belgium's fourth. Both goals involving Vanaken stemmed from pressing turnovers, highlighting his work rate and awareness. His impact off the bench proved crucial to Belgium's progress to face Spain.

Loser

Matt Freese (United States)

Freese's catastrophic decision-making gifted Belgium their third goal and ended any realistic hopes of a comeback. In the 57th minute, he charged out of his area to challenge De Ketelaere, lost possession under pressure, and watched Vanaken fire into an unguarded net to make it 3-1.

The goalkeeper had shown sharp reflexes earlier, making an excellent save to deny Timothy Castagne's first-time shot heading for the top corner. He also comfortably gathered De Ketelaere's weak header from a corner. Those early interventions made his subsequent lapse even more damaging.

Freese's error transformed a competitive 2-1 deficit into an insurmountable 3-1 scoreline. The United States had just introduced Sebastian Berhalter and were looking to build momentum when the goalkeeper's misjudgment ended the contest. His mistake will define the match for home supporters devastated by their World Cup exit.